PMA Research: North American Display Sales Rebound, LED Units Up 45%
2026-11-03 · via invidis
Large-format display sales in North America bounced back in September after a late-summer lull, according to the latest monthly tracking reports from PMA Research. The numbers matter for anyone buying or selling screens into commercial and signage projects, because they point to falling prices and a growing share of consumer-grade hardware moving through channels that used to be purely Pro AV.
PMA Research tracks displays 32 inches and larger sold through North American Pro AV dealers and AV/IT distributors. Its September data shows unit sales through Pro AV dealers up 16 percent compared with August and 35 percent year over year. For the first nine months of 2026, dealer unit sales are up 11 percent versus the same period in 2025.
The company says lower display prices helped drive that demand, but revenue growth did not keep pace with the increase in units sold. That is a familiar pattern in flat panel markets: more boxes moving, less money per box.
Consumer TVs creeping into commercial channels
One detail PMA Research flags is that the best-selling model among Pro AV dealers in September was a 50-inch consumer television, not a commercial display. PMA Research interprets this as evidence that dealers are increasingly serving light-commercial and residential projects to supplement their traditional Pro AV business. For integrators and signage operators, it is a reminder that the line between consumer and commercial hardware keeps blurring at the lower end of the market, and that dealer behavior does not always track the premium commercial display segment.
The distribution channel told a similar story. Large-format flat panel sales rose by single-digit percentages in both units and revenue compared with August, breaking a run of flat months. Consumer displays, particularly 65-inch screens, were the most popular size, which PMA Research again links to lower average selling prices. Desktop monitors 32 inches and larger rose 12 percent both month over month and year over year. Professional displays also grew by single-digit percentages in units and revenue through distribution.
LED the standout segment
The strongest number in the report belongs to all-in-one direct-view LED technology, where unit sales through distributors jumped 45 percent compared with September 2025. PMA Research describes this as one of the report's best-performing segments and says it signals continued demand for integrated LED solutions even as falling prices squeeze revenue elsewhere in the display market.
The announcement does not break out which LED pixel pitches, screen sizes, or vendors are driving that growth, nor does it say how much of the demand is coming from signage deployments versus boardrooms, control rooms, or other applications. For operators evaluating LED against traditional LCD for signage projects, the headline growth figure is useful context but not enough on its own to plan a purchase around.
PMA Research became part of Apogee Insight earlier this year and publishes monthly sell-through reports covering sales through leading US Pro AV dealers, systems integrators, and AV/IT distributors.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
PMA Research reports a 35 percent year-over-year increase in ProAV dealer display sales in September, while all-in-one LED unit sales through distributors climbed 45 percent.
Sales of large-format displays rebounded in September following a late-summer slowdown, with both ProAV dealers and AV/IT distributors reporting improved results, according to the latest figures from PMA Research.
The company’s monthly tracking reports, covering displays measuring 32 inches and larger, show that unit sales through North American Pro AV dealers increased 16 percent compared with August and 35% year over year.
For the first nine months of 2026, dealer unit sales were up 11 percent compared with the same period last year.
Lower display prices helped stimulate demand, although the resulting revenue growth did not keep pace with the increase in units sold.
One interesting finding was that September’s best-selling model among ProAV dealers was a 50-inch consumer television rather than a commercial display.
PMA Research says this points to dealers increasingly serving light-commercial and residential markets to supplement their traditional Pro AV business.
The distribution channel also showed signs of recovery. Sales of large-format flat panels increased by single-digit percentages in both units and revenue compared with August, reversing several months of relatively flat performance.
Consumer displays contributed to the improvement, with 65-inch screens emerging as the most popular size among distributors. Lower average selling prices likely helped drive the increase.
Meanwhile, sales of desktop monitors measuring 32 inches and larger rose 12% both month over month and year over year.
Professional displays also recorded gains through the distribution channel, with unit sales and revenue increasing by single-digit percentages compared with August.
All-in-one direct-view LED technology was the standout. Unit sales in this category jumped 45% compared with September 2025, making it one of the report’s strongest-performing segments.
The figures suggest that demand for integrated LED solutions continues to grow, even as falling prices put pressure on revenue growth elsewhere in the display market.
PMA Research, which became part of Apogee Insight earlier this year, publishes monthly sell-through reports tracking display sales through leading US ProAV dealers, systems integrators, and AV/IT distributors.